Is SpongeBob SquarePants gay? Here's what character creator Stephen Hillenburg had to say | MEAWW

Contents:

• NICKELOON JT ANNOUNCED THAT SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS IS GAY
• SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS GAY? NICKELOON JT RERCED THAT THEORY
• SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS IS GAY! NICKELOON (FALLY) CONFIRMS HIS LGBTQ STAT FOR PRI
• IS SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS GAY? EVERY TIME THE SHOW SUGGTED HE IS
• SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS IS GAY! NICKELOON (FALLY) CONFIRMS HIS LGBTQ STAT FOR PRI
•  STEPHEN HILLENBURG SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANT GAY AXSEXUAL SEXUALY PRI MONTH NICKELOON TWEET RABOW
• IS SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS GAY? HERE'S WHAT CHARACTER CREATOR STEPHEN HILLENBURG HAD TO SAY
• THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS IS GAY CONTROVERSY EXPLAED (& WHY IT'S DUMB)
• NICKELOON PRI TWEET HTS SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS IS GAY
• NICKELOON CELEBRAT PRI BY HTG AT SPONGEBOB’S SEXUALYTHE WORK HAS NOT NFIRMED THE BELOVED CHARACTER'S SEXUALY—BUT A NEW SOCIAL MEDIA POST SEEMS TO VALIDATE A LONG-HELD FAN BELIEF.BY CHRISTOPHER ROSENJUNE 15, 2020PHOTO BY PARAMOUNT/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCKSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEIS SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS GAY? THAT’S A QUTN MANY FANS HAVE ASKED SCE THE NICKELOON SERI THAT BEARS HIS NAME FIRST PREMIERED 1999. OVER THE WEEKEND, APPEARS, VIEWERS MAY HAVE FALLY RECEIVED AN ANSWER.ON SATURDAY, THE WORK’S OFFICIAL TWTER ACUNT CLUD SPONGEBOB A TWEET ABOUT “CELEBRATG #PRI WH THE LGBTQ+ MUNY AND THEIR ALLI THIS MONTH AND EVERY MONTH.” AN IMAGE OF SPONGEBOB APPEARED ALONGSI IMAG OF TWO PROMENT LGBTQIA CHARACTERS OM THE NICKELOON LIBRARY OF SHOWS: SCHWOZ SCHWARTZ OM HENRY DANGER (PLAYED BY ACTOR MICHAEL D. COHEN, WHO IS TRANS), AND KORRA OM THE LEGEND OF KORRA, WHO IS BISEXUAL.TWTER NTENTTHIS NTENT N ALSO BE VIEWED ON THE SE ORIGAT OM.IN RPONSE TO THE POST, #SPONGEBOBISGAY BEGAN TRENDG ON TWTER AS MANY FANS CELEBRATED WHAT THEY FELT WAS A NFIRMATN OF A LONG-HELD BELIEF.NOT THAT NICKELOON HAS MA A POT OF STATG SPONGEBOB’S SEXUALY MORE OVERTLY. THE WORK HAS, TH FAR, CLED TO MAKE EXPLIC THE MEANG BEHD THE SOCIAL MEDIA MSAGE—WHICH SHOULD NOT BE A TOTAL SURPRISE. IN RECENT YEARS, HAS BEE CREASGLY MON FOR THE MAKERS OF FILMS AND TELEVISN SERI TO PAY LIP SERVICE TO THE IA OF LONG-OVERDUE REPRENTATN KEY ANCHIS, WHOUT NECSARILY GOG BEYOND ACKNOWLEDGG THE EXISTENCE OF QUEER CHARACTERS. IN 2017, FOR STANCE, DISNEY DREW ATTENTN WHEN DIRECTOR BILL CONDON REVEALED THAT HIS LIVE-ACTN BETY AND THE BEAST REBOOT WOULD NTA AN “EXCLIVELY GAY” MOMENT BETWEEN TWO CHARACTERS—WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A BLK-AND-YOU’LL-MISS- DANCE BETWEEN TWO MALE CHARACTERS AT THE FILM’S NCLN. IN YEARS SCE, TWO MORE DISNEY RELEAS—AVENGERS: ENDGAME AND STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER—HAVE CLUD GAY CHARACTERS VERY LIMED ROL AS WELL.AS VANY FAIR CRIC K. AT COLLS WROTE OF THE TREND, “THE IA THAT THE LGHABLY MOR WS ARE SOMETHG TO CELEBRATE GO HAND HAND WH DISNEY’S BROAR ATTU TOWARD FILM HISTORY, WHICH THE PANY HAS LONG SEEMED TO THK IS SOMETHG BETTER OFF LOCKED UP A VLT SOMEWHERE—THE BETTER TO EXPLO THE ART’S VALUE, AFTER ALL. LET’S JT SAY STRAIGHT: THE PANY THAT WON’T EVEN LET BABY YODA MEM FLOURISH WHOUT LOSG S SH OVER PYRIGHT WILL NEVER BE A BEAN OF REPRENTATN OF ANY SORT, LET ALONE QUEER REPRENTATN, WHICH, AMONG OTHER THGS, HAS OFTEN MA SPORT OF APPROPRIATG AND MSY-G THE FIRM SEXUAL BOUNDARI OSTENSIBLY STRAIGHT, PYRIGHTED ART. DISNEY IS TOO NCERNED WH REPRENTATN AS PRODUCT TO BE A BEAN OF ANYTHG. AND THE FANS WHO RE WILL STILL, EVEN AS OF THE TWO MOVI, LARGELY BE LEFT TO THEIR OWN CREATIVE, IMAGATIVE VIC—AND THEY ARE PROBABLY BETTER OFF.”MOST POPULARNEW ON NETFLIX: SEPTEMBER 2023'S BT NEW MOVI & SHOWSBY CHRIS MURPHYAND JT LIKE THAT… HERE’S WHAT WE NEED SEASON 3BY HILLARY BISOUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLAS FOR SPONGEBOB HIMSELF: WHEN HIS RELATNSHIP WH PATRICK STAR, AN ANIMATED STARFISH ON THE SHOW, WAS CRICIZED BY CHRISTIAN GROUPS 2005, CREATOR STEPHEN HILLENBURG CLAIMED SPONGEBOB WAS TEND TO BE ASEXUAL.“IT DON’T HAVE ANYTHG TO DO WH WHAT WE’RE TRYG TO DO,” HILLENBURG, WHO DIED 2018, SAID AT THE TIME. “WE NEVER TEND THEM TO BE GAY. I NSIR THEM TO BE ALMOST ASEXUAL. WE’RE JT TRYG TO BE FUNNY AND THIS HAS GOT NOTHG TO DO WH THE SHOW.”MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— “CAN WE LIVE?” THE DGHTER OF CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS ON THE QUTN THAT’S HNTED HER FOR DES— CATHERE O’HARA, QUEEN OF SCHT’S CREEK, TALKS GILDA RADNER FRIENDSHIP & MORE— EXCLIVE: STEPHEN KG’S THE STAND COM TO LIFE AGA— JEFEY EPSTE: SEVEN REMAG MYSTERI—AND DISTURBG REVELATNS— OLD HOLLYWOOD’S MOST SNDALO SECRETS, AS TOLD BY DAVID NIVEN— TREVOR NOAH AND THE DAILY SHOW AREN’T JT SURVIVG—THEY’RE THRIVG— FROM THE ARCHIVE: SIDNEY POIER’S POTED MSAGE TO WHE AMERI AS RACE RTS SWEPT THE NATN THE SUMMER OF 1967LOOKG FOR MORE? SIGN UP FOR OUR DAILY HOLLYWOOD NEWSLETTER AND NEVER MISS A STORY.CHRISTOPHER ROSEN

NICKELOON JT ANNOUNCED THAT SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS IS GAY

) Patrick both wh limp wrists, forhadowg this revelatn by reprentatn children's media remas srce, largely due to phback om studs and parents who equate visible gay, lbian, bisexual or trans characters wh the "sexualizatn" of children. Jt last month, Pixar released a short film on Disney+ featurg a gay protagonist; Out followed his journey to e out to his parents and troduce them to his boyiend. And later this year, Marvel Studs will but the first openly gay superhero the MCU — and his hband.

#SpongeBobIsGay started trendg as many cid the tweet was nfirmatn of the character’s sexualy.

Due part to his close relatnship wh bt iend Patrick Star, the ter had long ago cid that SpongeBob was ed gay. “We never tend them to be gay.

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS GAY? NICKELOON JT RERCED THAT THEORY

Given the fandom’s long-held belief that SpongeBob intified as gay, ’s the least Nickeloon uld do for this beloved kids show, and social media reactns did not disappot.

Fans quickly reacted sharg stills om the show and celebratg SpongeBob’s om SheKnowsGrey's Anatomy Fan-Favore Chyler Leigh Com Out Heartfelt LetterCoolhs Founr Natasha Case Spills Her Kid-Snack Hack & It Involv Eel, Not Ice CreamThe Trans Moms Hate Mother's Day -- Here's WhyNot surprised about #SpongebobIsGay sce has always kda jt been the way I have seen SB, but that do not stop me om beg DELIRIOUSLY happy about SB reprentg lgbtq+ culture ❤️?️‍?— ℍ???? ???? (@EmmaHso) June 14, 2020Other fans of the show have taken issue wh this, however, potg out that SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg had intified the character as asexual years ago. Further, sce SpongeBob is not explicly lled gay, fans are left wonrg whether the tweet was fact a misguid alln to his asexualy, which is not referenced the LGBTQ Nickeloon would undoubtedly have ma a stronger statement by, well, makg an actual statement, this is still a big step forward for reprentatn kids’ TV, which has long led LGBTQ characters and relatnships too “adult” for s ntent, spe their fort cludg adult heterosexual relatnships.

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS IS GAY! NICKELOON (FALLY) CONFIRMS HIS LGBTQ STAT FOR PRI

5% feel unsafe at kids had jt as many beloved gay rtoon characters as those they assume to be straight, how many LGBTQ kids might feel better accepted and unrstood? The cln of the rtoon sponge igned a social media nversatn surroundg SpongeBob’s sexual inty, wh some folks clarg him “a gay in. “We never tend them to be gay, ” Hillenburg said of SpongeBob and Patrick 2005, per People.

” (FYI someone n be both gay and asexual, as such inti are not mutually exclive. 1592054553Naturally, took leral sends for the ter to fly to a enzy over the apparent reveal that SpongeBob is as gay for Patrick as we all always knew he was. \u201cGAY SPONGEBOB STANS RISEEEEEEE\u201d — brtany (@brtany).

IS SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS GAY? EVERY TIME THE SHOW SUGGTED HE IS

1592096177Of urse, Nickeloon didn’t explicly say SpongeBob is the gay in we’re all so eager to claim he is, but the tweet DOES suggt he’s part of the LGBTQ+ “SpongeBob is gay!! ” paras swept across the ter, other diehard fans of the crter who liv a peapple unr the sea began potg out that we’ve actually known SpongeBob has his place unr the LGBTQ+ umbrella for a long time 2005, creator Stephen Hillenburg said that he “never tend [SpongeBob and Patrick] to be gay. 1592072825Wh so ltle asexual reprentatn media, ’s important not to erase SpongeBob’s ace inty, though some have poted out that there’s still room for him to be homo- or bi-romantic and asexual.

\u201c\u201cspongebob is gay\u201d \u201o, spongebob is asexual! He\u2019s homoromantic asexual; you n have both. Nickeloon revealed SpongeBob SquarePants is an LGBTQ+ ally, but do that mean he's gay?

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS IS GAY! NICKELOON (FALLY) CONFIRMS HIS LGBTQ STAT FOR PRI

Qutns about whether SpongeBob is gay or not have been floatg around for years as the show has dropped some hts about , even though seri’ creator Stephen Hillenburg spoke about years ago.

 STEPHEN HILLENBURG SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANT GAY AXSEXUAL SEXUALY PRI MONTH NICKELOON TWEET RABOW

The biggt one is that of SpongeBob’s sexualy, wh many groups accg the show of promotg homosexualy and gay marriage. People sisted the episo promoted gay marriage, but as sea spong aren’t eher female or male (and Hillenburg was a mare science tor), playg the role of mother was normal for SpongeBob. Of urse, the ntroversy didn’t end there, and many groups began to over-analyze the show to fd clu that proved that SpongeBob was gay and the show was a bad example for children.

To some, however, SpongeBob’s overly cheerful personaly and sensivy are enough proof that the character is actually gay. While many have taken Nickeloon’s tweet as nfirmatn that SpongeBob is gay, ’s important to remember that Hillenburg once clarified that he nsired the character to be “somewhat asexual”, very much like real-life sea spong. While some fans thought Nickeloon was nfirmg that SpongeBob is gay, 's actually more likely that the work was acknowledgg the beloved sea sponge's asexualy.

"spongebob is gay??!! the straights: SPONGEBOB ISN’T GAY. Not surprised about #SpongebobIsGay sce has always kda jt been the way I have seen SB, but that do not stop me om beg DELIRIOUSLY happy about SB reprentg lgbtq+ culture ❤️?️‍?.

IS SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS GAY? HERE'S WHAT CHARACTER CREATOR STEPHEN HILLENBURG HAD TO SAY

Further, sce SpongeBob is not explicly lled gay, fans are left wonrg whether the tweet was fact a misguid alln to his asexualy, which is not referenced the LGBTQ acronym. Okay, I have nothg agast gay SpongeBob, but didn't Stephen Hillenburg say he is asexual? #SpongeBob #SpongebobIsGay.

If kids had jt as many beloved gay rtoon characters as those they assume to be straight, how many LGBTQ kids might feel better accepted and unrstood? Is SpongeBob SquarePants gay?

" In fact, a Ukraian webse lled Fay Unr the Protectn of the Holy Virg said the spongy character promot homosexualy.

THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS IS GAY CONTROVERSY EXPLAED (& WHY IT'S DUMB)

Of urse, this didn't prove anythg as the work or the creator of the character didn't e forward and say anythg about SpongeBob's sexual orientatn, but many took to social media assertg that their spicns that SpongeBob was gay.

Turns out that don't matter what the work tend bee many saw the character beg an ally of the LGBTQIA+ muny as a nfirmatn that he is gay – they took the tweet by Nickeloon as SpongeBob g out.

The work's tweet read, "Celebratg #Pri wh the LGBTQ+ muny and their alli this month and every month, " which promptly saw the hashtag #SpongeBobIsGay trendg. Intertgly enough back 2005, Hillenburg spoke about SpongeBob sayg that he didn't tend for Patrick and SpongeBob to be gay.

NICKELOON PRI TWEET HTS SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS IS GAY

” So if we're gog by his statement, then well, the sponge isn't gay, he's asexual. SpongeBob SquarePants has had s dose of ntroversy, the biggt one beg about SpongeBob promotg homosexualy.

NICKELOON CELEBRAT PRI BY HTG AT SPONGEBOB’S SEXUALYTHE WORK HAS NOT NFIRMED THE BELOVED CHARACTER'S SEXUALY—BUT A NEW SOCIAL MEDIA POST SEEMS TO VALIDATE A LONG-HELD FAN BELIEF.BY CHRISTOPHER ROSENJUNE 15, 2020PHOTO BY PARAMOUNT/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCKSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEIS SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS GAY? THAT’S A QUTN MANY FANS HAVE ASKED SCE THE NICKELOON SERI THAT BEARS HIS NAME FIRST PREMIERED 1999. OVER THE WEEKEND, APPEARS, VIEWERS MAY HAVE FALLY RECEIVED AN ANSWER.ON SATURDAY, THE WORK’S OFFICIAL TWTER ACUNT CLUD SPONGEBOB A TWEET ABOUT “CELEBRATG #PRI WH THE LGBTQ+ MUNY AND THEIR ALLI THIS MONTH AND EVERY MONTH.” AN IMAGE OF SPONGEBOB APPEARED ALONGSI IMAG OF TWO PROMENT LGBTQIA CHARACTERS OM THE NICKELOON LIBRARY OF SHOWS: SCHWOZ SCHWARTZ OM HENRY DANGER (PLAYED BY ACTOR MICHAEL D. COHEN, WHO IS TRANS), AND KORRA OM THE LEGEND OF KORRA, WHO IS BISEXUAL.TWTER NTENTTHIS NTENT N ALSO BE VIEWED ON THE SE ORIGAT OM.IN RPONSE TO THE POST, #SPONGEBOBISGAY BEGAN TRENDG ON TWTER AS MANY FANS CELEBRATED WHAT THEY FELT WAS A NFIRMATN OF A LONG-HELD BELIEF.NOT THAT NICKELOON HAS MA A POT OF STATG SPONGEBOB’S SEXUALY MORE OVERTLY. THE WORK HAS, TH FAR, CLED TO MAKE EXPLIC THE MEANG BEHD THE SOCIAL MEDIA MSAGE—WHICH SHOULD NOT BE A TOTAL SURPRISE. IN RECENT YEARS, HAS BEE CREASGLY MON FOR THE MAKERS OF FILMS AND TELEVISN SERI TO PAY LIP SERVICE TO THE IA OF LONG-OVERDUE REPRENTATN KEY ANCHIS, WHOUT NECSARILY GOG BEYOND ACKNOWLEDGG THE EXISTENCE OF QUEER CHARACTERS. IN 2017, FOR STANCE, DISNEY DREW ATTENTN WHEN DIRECTOR BILL CONDON REVEALED THAT HIS LIVE-ACTN BETY AND THE BEAST REBOOT WOULD NTA AN “EXCLIVELY GAY” MOMENT BETWEEN TWO CHARACTERS—WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A BLK-AND-YOU’LL-MISS- DANCE BETWEEN TWO MALE CHARACTERS AT THE FILM’S NCLN. IN YEARS SCE, TWO MORE DISNEY RELEAS—AVENGERS: ENDGAME AND STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER—HAVE CLUD GAY CHARACTERS VERY LIMED ROL AS WELL.AS VANY FAIR CRIC K. AT COLLS WROTE OF THE TREND, “THE IA THAT THE LGHABLY MOR WS ARE SOMETHG TO CELEBRATE GO HAND HAND WH DISNEY’S BROAR ATTU TOWARD FILM HISTORY, WHICH THE PANY HAS LONG SEEMED TO THK IS SOMETHG BETTER OFF LOCKED UP A VLT SOMEWHERE—THE BETTER TO EXPLO THE ART’S VALUE, AFTER ALL. LET’S JT SAY STRAIGHT: THE PANY THAT WON’T EVEN LET BABY YODA MEM FLOURISH WHOUT LOSG S SH OVER PYRIGHT WILL NEVER BE A BEAN OF REPRENTATN OF ANY SORT, LET ALONE QUEER REPRENTATN, WHICH, AMONG OTHER THGS, HAS OFTEN MA SPORT OF APPROPRIATG AND MSY-G THE FIRM SEXUAL BOUNDARI OSTENSIBLY STRAIGHT, PYRIGHTED ART. DISNEY IS TOO NCERNED WH REPRENTATN AS PRODUCT TO BE A BEAN OF ANYTHG. AND THE FANS WHO RE WILL STILL, EVEN AS OF THE TWO MOVI, LARGELY BE LEFT TO THEIR OWN CREATIVE, IMAGATIVE VIC—AND THEY ARE PROBABLY BETTER OFF.”MOST POPULARNEW ON NETFLIX: SEPTEMBER 2023'S BT NEW MOVI & SHOWSBY CHRIS MURPHYAND JT LIKE THAT… HERE’S WHAT WE NEED SEASON 3BY HILLARY BISOUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLAS FOR SPONGEBOB HIMSELF: WHEN HIS RELATNSHIP WH PATRICK STAR, AN ANIMATED STARFISH ON THE SHOW, WAS CRICIZED BY CHRISTIAN GROUPS 2005, CREATOR STEPHEN HILLENBURG CLAIMED SPONGEBOB WAS TEND TO BE ASEXUAL.“IT DON’T HAVE ANYTHG TO DO WH WHAT WE’RE TRYG TO DO,” HILLENBURG, WHO DIED 2018, SAID AT THE TIME. “WE NEVER TEND THEM TO BE GAY. I NSIR THEM TO BE ALMOST ASEXUAL. WE’RE JT TRYG TO BE FUNNY AND THIS HAS GOT NOTHG TO DO WH THE SHOW.”MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— “CAN WE LIVE?” THE DGHTER OF CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS ON THE QUTN THAT’S HNTED HER FOR DES— CATHERE O’HARA, QUEEN OF SCHT’S CREEK, TALKS GILDA RADNER FRIENDSHIP & MORE— EXCLIVE: STEPHEN KG’S THE STAND COM TO LIFE AGA— JEFEY EPSTE: SEVEN REMAG MYSTERI—AND DISTURBG REVELATNS— OLD HOLLYWOOD’S MOST SNDALO SECRETS, AS TOLD BY DAVID NIVEN— TREVOR NOAH AND THE DAILY SHOW AREN’T JT SURVIVG—THEY’RE THRIVG— FROM THE ARCHIVE: SIDNEY POIER’S POTED MSAGE TO WHE AMERI AS RACE RTS SWEPT THE NATN THE SUMMER OF 1967LOOKG FOR MORE? SIGN UP FOR OUR DAILY HOLLYWOOD NEWSLETTER AND NEVER MISS A STORY.CHRISTOPHER ROSEN

SpongeBob SquarePants hasn’t been safe om ntroversy, and the biggt one is that about SpongeBob beg gay and “tryg to turn children gay”.

The character has been acced of promotg homosexualy, wh var groups exprsg their disfort and even mandg that Nickeloon stops airg the show.